Folding interior lining panel of a motor vehicle

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a folding interior lining panel of a motor vehicle comprising a first flap and a second flap which are articulated to one another along two articulation edges. The flaps have edge faces of similar thicknesses. The flaps being articulated to one another by two strips positioned some distance apart. Each of the strips has a middle part, a first end part pressed closely against the first edge face by a first plate and a second end part pressed firmly against the second edge face by a second plate. A second strip is positioned between the first strips, the second strip has a middle part, a first end part pressed firmly against the first edge face by a third plate and a second end part pressed firmly against the second edge face by a fourth plate.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of International application numberPCT/FR2018/050562, filed Mar. 11, 2018 and French application number1752164, filed Mar. 16, 2017 the entire contents of which areincorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a folding interior lining panel of a motorvehicle.

BACKGROUND

It is known to produce a folding interior lining panel of a motorvehicle, the panel having the following features:

-   -   it comprises a first and a second flap which are articulated to        one another along two respective articulation edges, by means of        a plurality of strips, so as to enable a rotation of        substantially 360° of one of the flaps in relation to the other,        so that the panel may have a configuration of use, where the        flaps are in the continuation of one another in a substantially        co-planar manner, and two retracted configurations corresponding        to a folding of 180° in one direction or the other,    -   the flaps have at the edges a first and a second respective edge        face of similar thicknesses.

The folding panel is notably intended to cover the luggage or the floorof a luggage compartment.

The fact of having two retracted configurations is for example dictated,in the case of a panel for covering a luggage compartment floor, by thefact that one face of the flaps may be covered with textile, for examplein the form of carpet, the other face being covered with a washablecovering, notably of the nature of a sheet of plastic material.

Thus, when the folding panel is in retracted configuration, it may bepositioned against a wall of the luggage compartment by having awashable face, which may be useful when the compartment is loaded with adirty load.

The strips applied in the articulation are usually attached, by the endparts thereof, at the border of the upper and lower faces of the flaps.

The result is a complexification of the manufacture of the panel inorder to hide the areas for joining the strips to the flaps, this foraesthetic reasons, and also so that the areas do not form asperitieslikely to catch on objects loaded in the luggage compartment when thepanel is intended to line such a compartment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the invention is to overcome the drawbacks.

To this end, the invention proposes a folding interior lining panel of amotor vehicle, the panel having the following features:

-   -   it comprises a first and a second flap which are articulated to        one another along two respective articulation edges, by means of        a plurality of strips, so as to enable a rotation of        substantially 360° of one of the flaps in relation to the other,        so that the panel may have a configuration of use, where the        flaps are in the continuation of one another in a substantially        co-planar manner, and two retracted configurations corresponding        to a folding of 180° in one direction or the other,    -   the flaps have at the edges a first and a second respective edge        face of similar thicknesses,        the flaps being articulated to one another by:    -   at least two first strips positioned some distance apart, each        of the strips having:        -   a middle part, the dimension of which according to a            direction perpendicular to the edges corresponds            substantially to the thickness,        -   a first end part pressed firmly against the first edge face            by a first plate, the plate extending substantially over the            entire thickness of the edge face, the join between the            middle part and the end part being situated at the upper            border of the plate,        -   a second end part pressed firmly against the second edge            face by a second plate, the plate extending substantially            over the entire thickness of the edge face, the join between            the middle part and the end part being situated at the lower            border of the plate,    -   and at least one second strip positioned between the first        strips, the strip having:        -   a middle part, the dimension of which according to a            direction perpendicular to the edges corresponds            substantially to the thickness,        -   a first end part pressed firmly against the first edge face            by a third plate, the plate extending substantially over the            entire thickness of the edge face, the join between the            middle part and the end part being situated at the lower            border of the plate,        -   a second end part pressed firmly against the second edge            face by a fourth plate, the plate extending substantially            over the entire thickness of the edge face, the join between            the middle part and the end part being situated at the upper            border of the plate.

With the arrangement proposed, it is pointless to hide the areas forjoining the strips, since they are situated on the edge faces of theflaps, which helps to improve the aesthetics of the panel and also toavoid the presence of asperities likely to catch on objects loaded inthe luggage compartment when the panel is intended to line such acompartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further specific features and advantages of the invention will appear inthe following description, made with reference to the appended figures,wherein:

FIG. 1a and 1b are perspective schematic views of a panel according to afirst embodiment, the panel being in configuration of use (FIG. 1 a),the strips being shown stretched for the requirements of theillustration, and in retracted configuration (FIG. 1b ),

FIGS. 2a and 2b are cross-sectional schematic views according to a planeP1 of the panel in FIG. 1, the panel being in configuration of use (FIG.2a ), the strips being shown stretched for the requirements of theillustration, and in retracted configuration (FIG. 2b ),

FIGS. 3a and 3b are cross-sectional schematic views according to a planeP2 of the panel in FIG. 1, the panel being in configuration of use (FIG.3a ), the strips being shown stretched for the requirements of theillustration, and in retracted configuration (FIG. 3b ),

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2b for a panel according to a secondembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the figures, it is described a folding interior liningpanel 1 of a motor vehicle, the panel having the following features:

-   -   it comprises a first 2 and a second 3 flap which are articulated        to one another along two respective articulation edges 4 a,4 b,        by means of a plurality of strips 8,12, so as to enable a        rotation of substantially 360° of one of the flaps in relation        to the other, so that the panel may have a configuration of use,        where the flaps are in the continuation of one another in a        substantially co-planar manner, and two retracted configurations        corresponding to a folding of 180° in one direction or the        other,    -   the flaps have at the edges a first 21 a and a second 21 b        respective edge face of similar thicknesses 26 a,26 b,

the flaps being articulated to one another by:

-   -   at least two first strips 8 positioned some distance apart, each        of the strips having:        -   a middle part 9 a, the dimension of which according to a            direction perpendicular to the edges corresponds            substantially to the thickness,        -   a first end part 27 a pressed firmly against the first edge            face 21 a by a first plate 31 a, the plate extending            substantially over the entire thickness 26 a of the edge            face, the join between the middle part and the end part            being situated at the upper border of the plate,        -   a second end part 27 b pressed firmly against the second            edge face 21 b by a second plate 31 b, the plate extending            substantially over the entire thickness 26 b of the edge            face, the join between the middle part and the end part            being situated at the lower border of the plate,    -   and at least one—two in the first embodiment shown—second strip        12 positioned between the first strips, the strip having:        -   a middle part 9 b, the dimension of which according to a            direction perpendicular to the edges corresponds            substantially to the thickness,        -   a first end part 27 c pressed firmly against the edge face            21 a by a third plate 31 c, the plate extending            substantially over the entire thickness 26 a of the edge            face, the join between the middle part and the end part            being situated at the lower border of the plate,        -   a second end part 27 d pressed firmly against the edge face            21 b by a fourth plate 31 d, the plate extending            substantially over the entire thickness 26 b of the edge            face, the join between the middle part and the end part            being situated at the upper border of the plate.

According to the first embodiment shown, the plates 31 a,31 b,31 c,31 dat the non-assembled state are separated from the strips 8,12, theplates covering the end parts 27 a,27 b,27 c,27 d of the strips.

According to the first embodiment shown, the plates 31 a,31 b,31 c,31 dare provided with an opening 33 for passing through an anchoring element32—notably in the form of a screw or rivet - on the relevant edge face21 a, 21 b.

When the flaps 2,3 are based on cellular material, for example based ona honeycomb structure or resulting from an extrusion blow moulding,there may be provided a plate, not shown, rigidly connected to theflaps, for receiving the anchoring element 32.

According to the first embodiment shown, a first plate 31 a is integralwith a third plate 31 c and/or a second plate 31 b is integral with afourth plate 31 d.

According to the second embodiment shown, the plates 31 a,31 b,31 c,31 dare in the form of end pieces made of plastic material overmoulding theend parts 27 a,27 b,27 c,27 d of the strips 8,12.

According to the first embodiment shown, two first strips 8 arepositioned substantially at lateral ends of the edges 4 a,4 b knowingthat such an arrangement may of course be applied to all of theembodiments.

According to the embodiments shown, the flaps 2,3 are provided withhousings 20 for receiving the plates 31 a,31 b,31 c,31 d and the endparts 27 a,27 b,27 c,27 d of the strips 8,12, so that the plates and endparts do not form protruding in relation to the edge faces 21 a,21 b ofthe corresponding flaps 2,3.

According to one embodiment, the strips 8,12 are elastic and keptpermanently taut regardless of the configuration of the panel 1.

Such an arrangement may guarantee a perfect close positioning of thearticulation edges 4 a, 4 b, notably when the panel 1 is in coveringconfiguration.

Of course, the strips 8,12 may alternatively be provided non elastic.

According to the embodiments shown, the plates 31 a,31 b,31 c,31 d aresubstantially rectangular.

What is claimed is:
 1. A folding interior lining panel of a motorvehicle, the said panel comprising: a first and a second flap which arearticulated to one another along two respective articulation edges, witha plurality of strips, to enable a rotation of substantially 360° of oneof the flaps in relation to the other, the panel being configured, wherethe flaps are in the continuation of one another in a substantiallyco-planar manner, and two retracted configurations corresponding to afolding of 180° in one direction or the other, the flaps have at theedges a first and a second respective edge face of similar thicknesses,the panel being characterised in that the flaps are articulated to oneanother by: at least two first strips positioned some distance apart,each of the strips having: a middle part, the dimension of whichaccording to a direction perpendicular to the edges correspondssubstantially to the thickness, a first end part pressed firmly againstthe first edge face by a first plate, the plate extending substantiallyover the entire thickness of the edge face, the join between the middlepart and the end part being situated at the upper border of the plate, asecond end part pressed firmly against the second edge face by a secondplate, the plate extending substantially over the entire thickness ofthe edge face, the join between the middle part and the end part beingsituated at the lower border of the plate, and at least a second strippositioned between the first strips, the strip having: a middle part,the dimension of which according to a direction perpendicular to theedges corresponds substantially to the said thickness, a first end partpressed firmly against the first edge face by a third plate, the plateextending substantially over the entire thickness of the edge face, thejoin between the middle part and the end part being situated at thelower border of the plate, a second end part pressed firmly against thesecond edge face by a fourth plate, the plate extending substantiallyover the entire thickness of the edge face, the join between the middlepart and the end part being situated at the upper border of the plate.2. The panel according to claim 1, wherein the plates at thenon-assembled state are separated from the strips, the plates coveringthe end parts of the strips.
 3. The panel according to claim 2, whereinthe plates are provided with an opening for passing through an anchoringelement on the relevant edge face.
 4. The panel according to claim 2,wherein a first plate is integral with a third plate and/or a secondplate is integral with a fourth plate.
 5. The panel according to claim1, wherein the plates are in the form of end pieces made of plasticmaterial overmoulding the end parts of the strips.
 6. The panelaccording to claim 1, wherein the two first strips are positionedsubstantially at the lateral ends of the edges.
 7. The panel accordingto claim 1, wherein the flaps are provided with housings for receivingthe plates and the end parts of the strips the plates and end parts donot protrude in relation to the edge faces of the flaps.
 8. The panelaccording to claim 1, wherein the strips are elastic and keptpermanently taut regardless of the configuration of the panel.